Image copyrightNSRIImage caption
The Stellar Daisy, photographed during an operation to rescue a sick crew member near South Africa in 2014

A huge South Korean cargo ship which had 24 people on board has gone missing in the South Atlantic.

Two Filipino sailors found on a life raft were rescued, AFP reported, citing a Uruguayan navy spokesman.

On Friday, a crew member sent a text saying the 312m-long (1024ft) Stellar Daisy freighter was taking on water.

The Uruguayan navy alerted merchant ships in the area, which began a search. A navy spokesman said they had reported a strong smell of fuel.

The two people rescued had been found by commercial ships aiding the search, Yonhap news agency said.

"A search operation is continuing for the 22 people," a South Korean foreign ministry official told Reuters.

South Korea also requested assistance in the search from Brazil and Uruguay, the official said.

The ship, a Very Large Ore Carrier (VLOC) with a capacity of 260,000 tonnes, was being operated by a South Korean company but was flagged to the Marshall Islands, and had 16 Filipinos and 8 South Koreans on board.